The 5 worst UFC title fights of the decade (2010-2019)

#1 Anderson Silva vs. Demian Maia, UFC 112 – 04/10/2010

Anderson Silva's terrible fight with Demian Maia was the worst title fight of the decade

The previous fights on this list all turned out to be stinkers, but for the most part there were reasons for them turning out so badly, be it injuries or bad style matches. The April 2010 Middleweight title fight between Anderson Silva and Demian Maia, however, was different.

This one featured a champion in Silva who – judging by the first round at least – was clearly capable of outclassing and beating his overmatched opponent with little effort on his part. Unfortunately for the fans though, ‘The Spider’ seemingly had no interest in actually putting Maia away, and simply chose to fool around for the remaining 20 minutes rather than pursue a finish.

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Silva danced, he mimed playing a guitar solo, he taunted Maia and dared him to take a shot at him; essentially he did everything but actually take the fight to his fellow Brazilian. Things got so bad in the fifth round that referee Dan Miragliotta was forced to call time to warn Silva for his inactivity.

For his part, Maia tried to swing for Silva, but he just didn’t have the speed to hit the champion cleanly, nor could he get him to the ground. In the end Silva successfully defended his title, winning a unanimous decision, but it took him a while at least to regain the fans he lost with this diabolical showing.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Sai Teja